


A Mad (Max) adoption

by Loinski



Category: Mad Max Series (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, He just forgets it sometimes, Kid!Fic, Modern AU, No/little smut because it does not fit and I do not think it's fun to write, Nux is 11, Slit and Nux age because - plot convenience, Slit is 16, Slit is an asshole, The War Boys is a cult, There is death in this fanfic, This is ALL PLOT!, Underage Drinking, War Boys, War Boys Showing Affection, long fic, tags will be updated over time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-19
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-09-25 09:51:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9814010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loinski/pseuds/Loinski
Summary: Nux and Slit is part of the War boys and are very happy with that. But life always has a tendency to mess with you and even if you are in a cool cult that worships someone that is close to being a god, it does not mean that you do not suffer from things you did not expect.All you can hope for is that there is someone with you that you can share life with - someone that you do not want to beat the crap out of





	1. The beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully you'll like this :D

It was a beautiful morning, the sun was just chasing away the last of the fog that’s been lingering since last night and the birds was singing a happy song. The happy tunes quickly turned to a horrified screech when a car roared past, spitting wonderfully toxic fumes in its groove. The car stopped at its destination- the War boy shop - and spit out four War boys ready for work. Well, three, and one War pup that did his best not to correct people if they called him War boy by mistake. Slit usually made sure to correct people though, what was the point getting promoted if he couldn't rub it in Nux face?

Him and Nux headed for the car they been working on this week. Slit was dragging his ass behind and yawning to the full extent that his staples allowed while Nux was jumping along next to him. It was to early in the morning but Nux was already hyped up, a blue eyed ball of energy that was doing his best to talk Slits ears of.  
Slit was quite convinced that Nux already had said everything he was saying right now, because it was impossible for him to have come up with all this over the night. Not that Slit actually listened to the things Nux said, it was all about cars, other War boys, The holly V8 or The Immortan. Mostly he just hummed in appropriated places and let Nux noise flow over him like a background sound, like waves on the beach. Not that Slit actually ever been to the sea, or even seen any movies about the sea, Immortan said that TV made you soft, but that’s what he imagined it to be.

Immortan Joe's enormous mansion, The Citadel, was close form here. The Citadel was every War boys dream to live at. But Joe mostly only got imperators at the place, or War boys related to the imperators. Slit and Nux, to totally unknown War boys would never have a chance. Not like they accepted that fact. Slit often fantasized about when he'll finally be at the place, choosing the biggest room with view over the estate. Ringing tiny bells to summon lesser War boys to do his bidding, like feeding him grapes or rubbing his feet.  
Nux always to laugh at him for that when Slit voice it out loud, then Nux would add, all conspiratorially low whispering, that when he live there he wouldn't care for which room he got, as long as he got to drive the war rig, The Immortans truck.  
Slit laughed back at him then, it was a impossible dream, the war rig was driven by the imperator Furiosa, Nux would have to beat her in chromenes if he ever would go close to that wheel. And he would never be able to do that, Furiosa was the best. Slit had meet her, when he was younger. She had come by their shop, she was good friend with the Ace, the had history together, he still road with her on big events. Nux was too young to remember her, which Slit teased him a lot about. She had been so shine, all calm and firmly, walking with power, and her metal arm then! So chrome!

But for now Slit and Nux was stuck in the shop. Nux didn't complain, it was, as he annoyingly pointed out to Slit when he grumpily muttered about that he deserved much more, one of the biggest and most important of the shops. They got a lot of interesting projects going on that Nux loved to shove his hands down in. And they got a lot of good brothers by their side.

The shop was already bustling with energy. It was only the older War boys that got there own place, the pups and the younger War boys slept in the shop and it was their job to opened it up every morning.

Slit and Nux use to live here before too but since Slit got promoted to War boy they moved in with their two mentors in a small two room apartment not that far away.  
It was not like it was something wrong with the people in the shop, well, except for Morsov, he was a asshole, but Slit just felt it to crowded.  
Nux never minded, that little fucker had no personal space at all. But being in the shop 24/7 made Slit edgy. It was not at all as crowded at the apartment. Slit and Nux didn't have their own room, they slept in the living room that also was a kitchen. But at least they didn't have to fight 9 others over the bedding. The pups and young War boys all slept together on mattresses put on the floor in the back of the shop.

It was quite a big age gap between him and Nux, the war brother he had been assigned to, his partner. 5 years difference was much when they were this young at least, it wouldn't feel that big when they got older though. Normally you would get a war partner that was more you age. Slit had tried out with a bunch of other War boys more in his own age but well... But he had basically been assigned Nux since no one else wanted to deal with Slit.  
Slit couldn’t help that the others didn’t like him, they were just jealous of him. And he just didn't have patients for mediocre people so it wasn't like he really tried to make people like him. The Ace use to bug him about it a lot, that he should try to be less of a asshole. Nux didn't mind though, he like everybody. Slit could basically say anything to him and he just smiled an all knowing smile like he thought he knew Slit was just acting.

It was really annoying. Nux was a mediocre pup, tiny for his age and weird and hopeless and he NEVER shut up!... but well, Slit kinda had to agree that he didn't mined Nux as much as he disliked the others. Nux had no respect for personal space, like most War boys, and often crawled all over Slit but it didn’t bother him like when the others touched him, it didn't crawl in his skin and made him want to punch people.

“What?”

Slit looked confused down at a Nux that was staring up at him, squinting his eyes in suspicious at Slit like he tried to see what Slit was thinking. Slit realized that he had been absently petting Nux head while he had been thinking of him. Slit pull back his hand like he burned it. Maybe he could do that in the middle of the night because Nux needed it, because he was so mediocre and was afraid of the dark! But Slit wasn't going to do that in the middle of the day, that was just too soft. And he was not soft!

Nux just rolled his eyes and heeded to their project.

It was a decent car, a 1973 Ford that had been red once upon a time. That time was quite a long time ago, but the car still got a lot of potential. It was Nux obsession this week, or maybe moth, they seems to find more problem the longer they work on it.

 

“Hey, Nux! You got a car for the War games yet?” one of the other War boys shouted gleefully to him. Nux did some obscene gestures at him and kept going over the car.  
  
Nux would love to have a own car at the War games, whenever he mentioned the War games you could bet that he would mention the car. But he was just a pup, he wasn't even allowed to participate. Slit was, this year would be his first time. He maybe listened a bit more to the talking about it, still nearly a year to go, but he was determined to get a good preparation, he was going to win it all.  
The only problem was that he still didn't got a car, not even a wreck. Morsov had pointed out that he didn’t need one, he had talent for lancing, he could ask around for some War boy who could agree to try him out.  
Nux had been angry at Morsov for that, saying that Slit was his lancer and that he wasn't lancing for anybody else. Slit had gotten pissed of Morsov too, of course he needed a car! Being a driver was much more status than being a lancer! And yes, Slit got talent for lancing but that was because he was so crome he was good at both! But the higher ups didn’t let him prove that he was a equally good driver.  
He tried to make people talk about driving in the War games and when they did he would casually mention how good he would be at driving himself. Nux totally noticed that and embarrassing gave him angrily communicated messages through his eyebrows that pretty much said “for the sake of v8 Slit, shut up, you are so totally seeking attention”.  
Not that Nux would understand! Everybody always talked about what a good driver he got to be since he was such a good mechanic.  Sure, Nux show some really talent. He was only 11 but sometimes Slit noticed he knew things that Slit didn't.  He was a natural, give him some more years and he would be the best in the shop. Not that Slit would ever tell him, he couldn’t let the pride go to Nux head. And it wasn’t like their was any correlation between mechanic and driving! Nux was probably a terrible driver, he was a terrible lancer at leased. All skin and bones, off proportion and tiny, absolutely no control of his limbs. At least not when he moved outside of a car. When he had half his body in the engine Slit would have to agree that Nux moved with a surprisingly grace and certainty.

“Hey, Slit! Come over to the office for a while?”

Slit woke from his daydreaming when one of the imperators shouted. He swallowed nervously and drag himself over to the office, punching Nux reassuring on the arm while he pasted his worried gaze. You didn't come to the office without no reason, and Slit couldn't remember that he had done anything to piss off the higher ups.

He closed the door to the small room, the office only a tiny scrub that barely fitted a desk and some shelves with few binders. War boys was to chrome for paperwork.

“So, you are a War boy now” imperator Splinter said, giving him a professional but friendly smile.

“Y-yes sir, Slit stammered, hoping it wasn't to obvious that he was nervous.

“Well, time to prove that, got a assignment for you, a job, tomorrow night.”

“A job?”

“Yepp, you and your mentors plus another team. Not your pup partner, this is real work, you will be going fully armed and he’s too young. Normally I wouldn't send off someone without his partner but since there is too much of a age gap between you there isn't much to do about that, can't have War boys just sitting on the bench waiting. I heard you was a pretty good lancer at the training too? A good chance for you to show off and getting some offers to be a support lancer to some other teams on future jobs.”

“Yes sir” Slit said with more confidence, trying not to smile like an idiot.

“You will be riding as support this time with Zipper and Bolt. This is the target” , the imperator continued and throw some papers on the desk in front off Slit, “your job is to scare the problem area into doing as we want, he have been getting to cocky and that have to change. The others will help you with the details so show them this. Your are dismissed” the imperator ended.

“Thank you sir”, Slit said, now most defiantly smiling like a deranged person while he practically danced out of the office.  
  
  


“Hey! Nuxy-wuxy!”

“Slit, stop calling med that!” Nux answered annoyed and didn't look up from the car parts he was bent over, tongue sticking out in concentration.

Slit waked him atop of his head, earning him a low and pathetic growl from his pup partner. Slit's smile went from ear to ear, literally.

“Rust bucket, pay attention for a while, I got something important to say”

Nux signed and abandon his obsession for a moment.

“I got a job”, Slit said waving the papers in Nux face.

Nux looked confused for a split second, then his face lite up like the sun - it was like sitting indoors a summer with the curtains rolled down and then open the door, getting totally blinded by the light.

“Slit! That's amazing! That's so crome! I'm so happy for you! Nux practically yelped and hug Slit as far up he could reach with wasn't that far, Slit was more than 1,9m. He bounced around Slit's feet, nearly toppled him over and made Slit bark in laughter.

“Hey, take it easy pup, one would think you were gifted by a v8 or something” Slit said bending down to bump his head against Nux all affectionate. Normally Slit would think he was soft right now but Nux energy and happiness was contiguous, it made Slit feel strangely warm to see that Nux was so glad for Slit's sake. If Nux had been the one getting the job Slit wouldn't have returned that favor, he probably would have punched him in the face.

“I'm happy! You finally can do something to proper honor the V8 and Immortan, I'm so jealous!  You got to tell me everything about it!”

“Sure, we got to go get Zipper and Bolt first, then I tell you all about it”

 

*****

 

The day was at a end. They had been fairly productive and slumped in tiredly in the car. Back home Bolt and Zipper started the dinner. Nux had rested in the car so now he was running around the round wooden table that Slit was trying to put the down the plates on. He sneered angrily at the pup and tried to make him trip by putting his leg out when Nux passed by.

“Oi! Cut it out the two of you, go and do something more productive” Zipper said annoyed, looking at them with a scowling look. Bolt looked equally annoyed while purring down the spaghetti in the boiling water.

“Why do you complain about me?! Nux is the one making all the fuss!” Slit complained and gave Nux a death glare that Nux returned with a smug grin. Brat!

After Zipper threatened them with going without food for the night both Slit and Nux sat quietly on either side of the table waiting for the food to be finished. Both doing grimaces at each other when they didn't think Bolt and Zipper was watching.

”Slit” Zipper suddenly said putting down the bowl of spaghetti on the table which made Slit jump guilty and look at him.

”Are you looking forward to tomorrow? First real mission, must be nervus” Zipper continued with a smug grin while he sat down which made it obvious that he had noticed Slit jump.

“I'm NOT nervus! I can do this in my sleep! I was born to do this! I will show you tomorrow, it will be so shine even Immortan will be impressed and invite me to the Citadel!” Slit bit back. Everyone was snickering at him.

“Dream on pup. You know, if you don't puke tomorrow I will give you a lollipop as a reward." Zipper sneered which made Bolt bark in laughter that echoed in the apartment.

“I'm not a pup anymore!” Slit said bitter and jabbed at his food like it was the food that had offended him. Nux was giggling to, what a partner he was!

Slit didn't feel like doing much after dinner, it was late anyway and they needed to get up early to prepare everything. So now he was laying in the livingroom/kitchen on the mattress he and Nux was sharing, and staring up at the ceiling. A lot of thoughts flew through his mind. He had a weird feeling  in his stomach. He was maybe a tiny bit nervous if he have to confess it to himself. It was a big thing tomorrow, his chance to show everybody that he was someone to count on, to respect. He couldn't blow this now or he might as well go die soft in a corner, wouldn't go to Valhalla if he shamed himself.

It was dark in the room, the only light came from the window. The area they lived in was a notch better than some places they normally hang out which meant that they actually had working streetlights. Slit considered to smash it in the morning. If he failed tomorrow it was that stupid lamps fault for keeping him up all night!

Suddenly he felt a small hand around one of his much bigger tense ones. He flinched bad before he realized it was just Nux. The little brat was looking up at him in the dark with concern in his eyes.

”Slit, are you ok? You're tense?”

“Yeah, of course, I mean I'm fine... Just... SHUT UP!” Slit growled.

Nux was quiet for three seconds, Slit counted.

“You know, I don't think you’re gonna puke, think you’re gonna be real shine. I'm mean, you're the most chrom War boy I know, I know you’re gonna do really good tomorrow. I just hope you don't forget about me... you know, when you get invited to the Citadel and all...” Nux trailed of, sounding more and more insecure.

“Of course not, we are partners, we go together” Slit said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
Nux had a really bad habit of beating himself down, sometimes he didn't believe in himself, in his own worth. Slit maybe teased him a lot, was perhaps quite cruel with his words sometimes but that was only when Nux was happy, then nothing could touch him. Slit knew that when Nux was like this, insecure, he had to kill those dark though of Nux right away or else Nux would only got stuck in that track until he started to hurt himself to make the pain in himself feel less, to feel that the pain he caused himself was payment for him being so mediocre. Slit didn't like when Nux got like that, didn't like that he hurt himself for no good reason, Slit hated the feeling he got when he looked at Nux, that happy ball of energy that was nothing like he was, not as wrong, but still Nux crumbled, got destroyed by things Slit couldn't smash to a bloody mess.  
  


“Always together, all the way to Valhalla?” Nux quiet voice asked not for the first time.

“Yes, together to Valhalla... Now, sleep, or you're going to mess things up for me!”

“Ok” Nux answered and snuggled his cold nose in the bend of Slit's arm.  
  


He fell asleep seconds later. Slit did too, oddly enough, comforted by Nux words. Slit hands were resting relaxed on Nux shoulders.


	2. Slit the War boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And down the dark rabbit hole we go...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is violence

Slit was staring at himself in the mirror. His war paint was freshly, and perfectly, applied. The paint was the War boys signum, that and their cargo pants. They wore it in battle and missions so that everybody should know who they were, and that they should not be messed with. People fled when they rode down the streets. He loved the feeling of the paint, wasn't a true War boy without it.  
  
He was more staring at his face right now throug. His brow was knitted in an annoyed expression. He tied to smoothen it out but he was far to nervous to not look menacing. He took a deep breath and pushed the air through the tiny holes in his cheek. It made him think of how it had happened. He was kinda proud of it, the scar on his face. It looked really chrome and made a lot of people nervous, even War boys. He had taken the effort to learn how to make the right facial expression to make it look the most feral. He always played tough about it... but sometimes the dark disgusting memories came creeping in his brain and ruined it.  
  
It maybe looked chrome, but it hadn't been chrome when it had happened. It had hurt like Hel, and given him a lot of trouble afterwards for a while with eating and talking.  
He still leaked if he wasn’t careful when he drank something.

  
But his dark thoughts wasn't so much about the physical pain as of the memory of his mother just standing there like worthless filth and done nothing when her new boyfriend had carved his face up. The guy had been a classic asshole, beating his mother and being drunk all the time. He had gotten fed up at Slit's attitude, always a angry scroll on the boys face,  and decided he needed to smile more and be grateful for the life he got.  


Slit was grateful for the life he took.  


His mother had looked at him like he was some kind of  monster afterwards and he had realised that he didn't want anything to do with her anymore. So he had left her standing there staring out in the void. He was coverd in his own blood and some that was not his. He had walked and walked, didn't know where, didn't care as long as it was away from everything.  
  
And then he had run into the Ace. The War boys had been out on patrol, checking for rival gangs on their theratory. A carved up bloody eight year old boy do make one pay attention and they had picked him up, thought he looked real chrome and had taken him back home to the shop and showed him the ways of the V8.  
  
Slit's life had turned for the significant better after that even if it had been lonely. It wasn't something he admitted out loud, he was no a soft little pup who cried because he had none to play with.  
The shop had a bit of a age gaps and lacked of war pups in Slit's age, most of them where some years older or tiny toddlers that couldn't even stand up. How was they suppose to do war? So mediocre!  
The only one in his age had been Morsov and Slit would never be THAT desperate to want to hang out with HIM. Of course he could hang out with the older boys, he often did, but it wasn't really the same thing. He did not want to talk to them, V8 no! In front of them he needed to be as chrome as possible. Which was tiring. So he had been kinda lonely for around two years before Nux came along. Before Nux came along and ruined everything! Slit was quite content with his life, didn't need anybody, liked being alone, yeah!  
  
But Nux didn't get that, still didn't. The times when Slit wanted to be alone the most Nux would be closer than ever, wrapping his tiny arms around him like a freaking octopus or bump his forehead against Slit's when he was in a most definitely not head bumping mood.  
  
Nux would stare with his ridiculously blue eyes into Slit's and Slit would feel like he was falling towards a ocen, tiny and insignificant and still the only one there, making him the king of the universe. And everything would feel like it didn't matter, it was  insignificant, not him, and he would feel himself being swallowed up in the warm embrace of the oceans blue water.

Slit realised that he was grinning at himself in the mirror at that memory. He quickly rearrange his face to look angry again, he wasn't soft!

Nux had been young, only four, but he was kamacrazy enough for Slit to overlook that fact and he kinda had become a big brother to him and they had't been apart for very long since the day that the Ace had dumped him at his feet and told Slit he better be good or the Ace would make sure he never would see Valhalla.

Slit maybe had to confess,at least not as long as Nux found out about it, that Nux made things better. Nux made things easier when Slit wanted to punch everything into a blood pulp. His presence anchored Slit and got him not to drown in the black thoughts. He made his scar hurt less the days when it wasn’t chrome. The days he wanted to turn everything off and just be like any other, one in the crowd, a happy softie. Slit could not do that, even if he stop shaving and use shirts  people would still stare at him, being afraid of him... Then he ratter they was afraid of him on his own terms, being afraid of him because he was a awesome War boy, the chromest of them all!

Slit could feel a small hand around his tense one, reminding him to relax. He looked down and Nux was standing next to him, staring anxiously up at him.

“You ok?”

“Yeah, stop asking me that you little piece of shit, I'm fine!” Slit sort of snarled, trying to sound angry but it came out totally different and the fact that he was rubbing Nux head didn't do much in his favor. Nux snorted irritated and tried to push Slit away.

“Are you ready?”

“Yeah, let’s do this!”

 

***

 

Slit was riding outside, on top of the car, like a real lancer. It felt great, wonderful, like he was close to The V8, like it was the holly engine guiding the car and not Bolt. Slit felt invincible, he was so chrome! Until Bolt hit a pothole and nearly throw him of the car. Slit scrambled to hold on while Zipper next to him was laughing hard, nearly falling off in the process too. Slit looked angrily away from him, trying to disguise his burning cheeks.

They were on there way to the target, a lowlife businessman who thought he could mess with Joe and do like he wanted, treat The Immortan with disrespect. Outsiders always thought they were better than them. The guy was living in a fancy quarters and tonight he was taking his wife out at some lame theater, and the War boys was going to show who really was the better of the two.

They drove slowly down the road, looking for the guy's car, he should be turning up at any minute now. Slit felt excited to finally prove his worth, to show the others. But also a bit nervous, but he tried to ignored that and focus on the road. His focus paid off, since he was the first one to spot the guy’s car. He bang the roof, giving out a triumphant cry.  


Bolt speeded up and was soon behind their target. Zipper was howling a battle cry. Slit felt like the blood in his veins was on fire. They bumped the other car in the back in order to scare the people in it. The car tried to get away from them but it was only fancy packed, it had nothing against a turbocharged v8. They bumped the back of the car gain, then Bolt quickly swerve to the side and put the cars aline with each other. It was few cares out this night but Bolt still had to zigzag when the idiots of the oncoming traffic didn’t swerve to the side.  
The War boys was taunting the driver. The man quickly looked out the window at them, white as a ghost and panic clearly written in his face.  


“Slit! Get ready with a thunderstick! And don’t kill them!” Zipper shouted gleefully.

Slit quickly grabbed one of the thundersticks that sat on the car, the signature weapon of War boys, a lance loaded with explosions. They only put them on the cars when they had a mission in order to keep the cops from confiscating them all the time. The cops would be on them in no time once he threw it. But that’s the deal with War boys, in quick, make a big bang and the gone again before the cops had even had time to start their blue light.

Slit stood like he practiced, waiting for a perfect moment where he could scare the guy without killing him.  
Then he saw it, a newsstand, and he his lips pulled out in the widest, mischievous grind he could mangade. His throw was perfect, the lance arche up in a beautiful curve and landed with precision in the newsstand. The explosion was beautiful and made their target swerve out in panic and lose control. Turning the wheel to quickly, the car flew over a small concrete fence and got stuck. The War boys car roared past with them howling with joy. Zipper did a V8 salute before he slapped Slit on the shoulder for a job well done. Slit felt like it wasn’t just the newsstand that had exploded, a million things bubbled in him and the couldn't stop laughing. Tonight they were going to celebrate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m still not sure if I like Slits mother/boyfriend scen or if I feel that I’m playing way too much on clichés? I don’t like the fact that Slit hate her but it do fit the story more with Slit finding comfort in a violent patriarchal culture?  
> (I also promised myself to stop over analyzing things so I'm not going to change it)


	3. A Lonely day at the shop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How about Nux?

Nux was really bored and worried. The Ace could see that from miles away. Slit was out doing big boy errands, the Ace was really proud of that. But it left his nomaly really talkative partner very quiet. Nux had spent his last hour screw off and on the same screws on the same machine, looking totally miserable. It made the Ace smile his lopsided smile.

Nux had been with some shity people, that much Ace had figured out. They had found him in the aftermath of a road war when they were collecting dropt things before the cops came. The kid had been drawn to the sound and was walking around alone and barefoot amongst the debris. He had been so small for a four year old (he still was seven years later). He had been thin like a skeleton and had had clothes that barely hang together between the holes. The Ace had squatted down in front of him. He had the bluest and biggest eyes the Ace had ever seen - azul blue, ful with wonderment and fright and big old War boy Ace had wanted nothing else than hug this little child to his chest and tell him everything was going be fine. And maybe he had done that, and maybe the other War boys had laughed at him, telling him he was soft, dragging home every stray he could find. One of their imperators had laught at him too, asked him what they were going to do with such a small little useless thing. The imperator had named him Nux, but the important fact was that the Ace got to keep him, make him one of the war pups.   
Nux had turned out kind and sweet - someone have had to taught him what love was at some point when he was younger, or else he would have turned out like... well, Slit...

But Nux was not without mental scars, he had his odd  tricks and ways going on, the Ace had noticed. The most worrying was the behavior Nux was showing off sometimes when people were genuinely mad at him because he fucked up. All War boys was perhaps wild and not very self preservative but the Ace still got a bad feeling whenever Nux through he was in trouble, Ace needed to keep a check on that so there were no problem.

The Ace shook his head to land in the present. He dried his hands on a filthy rag and went over to the kid.   
  


“Hey, pup, problems with the screws?” the Ace said in a joking tone.

Nux snorted and started to fiddle with something else instead.

“Not so fun today is it? I'm sure Slits doing fine.”

“Yeah, he’s good... goodigoodgood.... “ Nux answered without looking up at 

the Ace. “Do you think I can visit him in the Citadel?” he continued after a second and looked up at the Ace worriedly.   
  


The Ace sighed and squatted down in front of Nux.   
  


“Don't worry pup, Slit just got promoted to War boy, it takes more than a good run today to go to the Citadel. I know it feels a bit tough since it's so many years between you but don't you worry. You are a good mechanic already, I'll bet you will be a good driver one day and then you and Slit can try to make it to the Citadel.” the Ace said and smiled at him again. He hoped they would make it, it would be nice if they did. He didn't had that chance himself anymore, but the boys got potential to be really good. He wished on V8 that The Holy engine would carry and guide them all the way to a good life in the Citadel where they could shine along with The Immortan until he took them to Valhalla.

The Ace thoughts were interrupted by Nux throwing himself at him and putting his thin arms around his neck. The Ace laughed and hugged Nux back.

”Here kid, you're too scrawny” Ace said and throw Nux an opened packet of crackers that he had been laying in one of his pockets. Nux happily started to munched at one of the crackers.

”Hey, Ace, can you help us with a thing?” 

It was Morsov, coming over from Elvis car with a deep frown on his face. 

“Sure, can’t let you guys wrecking the car, what kind of mentor would I be if I allowed that to happen?” the Ace said with a mischievous smile. “Come Nux, we might need your expertise” he then added. 

Nux let go of everything he held and immediately ran over to Elvis’s car, his gloominess all but forgotten. 

The Ace laugh at that, Nux maybe could be low sometimes, just like a car with a v8 could be standing still and quiet in the shop. But all you got to do was to tune the key and all that power and energy would come immediately, never gone, only resting.    
  


***   
  


Even if they had been four helping with the Elvis car things had still been tricky and they had just managed to put everything back in place when a sound was heard. 

Nux listened, he knew that sound!   
  


He jumped up and ran outside. It was them! They were back!   
  


“Slit! Slit! How did it go!” shouted Nux, jumping up and down when Bolt’s car drove up in front of the shop. A lot of other War boys joined them, cheering and doing the V8 salute. Slit was standing on top of the car, visible over all the others. He had his biggest glasgow-grin in place and he looked real smudged, enjoying every ounce of attention he got.    
  
Nux trought he was the shines person he had ever seen, next to The Immortan, and Slit was HIS lancer. There was a warm feeling in Nux stomach, he was so proud and happy to have Slit as a partner.    
Said partner should really remember his counterpart by now but he seemed a bit distracted by all the other bigger boys. Nux was small but he was feisty, he fought his way through the forest of tall legs in black cargo pants and nearly brought Slit down on his ass when he tumbled in him coming down from the roof.

“Nux! I was so chrome! You should had seen me! I scared the life out of that poor bastard! He is never going to wrong The Immortan again!” Slit shouted and bumped his forehead against Nux’s laughing. Nux beamed with joy and all of them whent inside to here Slit reciated the story, with maybe a bit of help of Bolt and Zipper to remembering that they had in fact NOT been forced to fight against an army of buzzards before they could get to their target.

The rest of the day had been really shine. Slit had told the story hundred of times and it only got more aprofteus the more the older boys gave Slit that burning water. Morsov had started a fight with Slit when Slit had called Morsov’s first mission mediocre. The Ace had broken them up, saying that it was not fair for Morsov to fight a drunk War boy, and also, if he wanted to come home today the Ace and Elvis was leaving right now. Elvis, Morsov’s partner, was technically old enough to get them their own place but they didn’t seem to hasty moving out from their mentors place. Nux could understand that, the Ace was real chrome . That hadn't stopped Slit from calling Morsov a overgrown pup tough.   
  


Morsov packed up his things, cursing in buzzard language under his breath. Slit had looked like he wanted to jump Morsov and continue their fight but Elvis had just stood next to Morsov and stared at Slit with a very boring look. Slit had stared back up at the two meter tall War boy and decided that he was not drunk enough to be that foolish. Nux was glad for that, Elvis had trashed Slit a couple of times before and he rather had Slit remembering this as a good day.

  
It was late when Nux and Slit finally could leave themselves and head back home to the apartment. Slit needed a lot of support from Zipper to make it out of the car and they were all joking and laughing. Slit crashed at their mattress in the kitchen and fell asleep immediately, snoring loudly. Nux giggled at it, patting him fondly at his shaved head and then went to help Bolt set the table for dinner. They didn’t bother to wake Slit up and Nux went to bed right after he ate. He could hear Bolt and Zipper talk in their room, probably about the day's mission. Nux turned his head and looked at Slit. He was drooling and still asleep. Nux was happy right now, if this was what life was like, he could not wait to see Valhalla! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my Elvis maybe is strongly influenced by m2fslide version of him (I totally love him, Elvis and Morsov are sooo cute)
> 
> http://m2fslide.tumblr.com/post/125520878063/he-has-a-number-of-factors-but-it-is-not-genuine


	4. Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is still fluffy and nice. Would be a shame if sombody... turned it all to angst...

Something had happened.

Nux didn’t know what but something was wrong. When they came to the shop that morning it was deserted. It use to be full of life but the only life there now was a crow in a tree, ominous croaking and making everything seem weird. It was heavy fog today, but the fog didn’t hide the police tapes that covered the entrance to the shop, it only made it surreal, like they entered some kind of dreamworld. The War boys all got to alert, ready for a fight, the place seemed abandoned but maybe they had left patrols behind to pick up leftovers.

Slit was standing next to him, muscles all tense and his eyes scanning the horizon. Nux thought he looked real shine like that. He still felt a bit nervous so he grabbed for Slits hand. Slit only growled and slapped his hand away.  
Nux resided to nervously fiddled with his screw and nut. It was something Slit had made for him, for his hands to have something to do. Basically Slit had taken a long screw, put a nut on it and the welded another nut at the screws end so that Nux could not unscrew the middle nut. All he could do with it was screwing the nut up and down. But it helped.

“Seems clear, let's check it out” Bolt said.

They approached slowly. Slit pulled out his giant knife. He used it to slice the tape but didn’t put it away afterwards. Nux swallowed hard. He was chrome, Nux the uncrackable! He just hadn't had any real missions before or been in any real fight yet. He was sure he could hold his on and make The Immortan proud! This was what he had been waiting for, a perfect chance to prove that he was ready to become a War boy even if he was so young! He wasn't afraid! He would have spit fear in its face had he ever encounter it! War boys was not afraid!

Of course, normally there was a lot more people around, cheering and hyping each other up, and normally they had been told what they were supposed to do. Here, in this unpleasant silence, Nux didn’t feel as prone to find anything to fight if he was honest.

“It looks empty!” Zipper shouted and Nux relax a bit.  
Of course Slit didn't miss that and teased him all the time it took them to look for any clues to what had happened. They didn’t find much. They figured the police had made a raid and picked up everyone they could get. It was weird though, the police had never dared to do too much that would anger The Immortan, too afraid of the repercussions that would follow. And even if they had, their brothers would soon be released from custody.

Bolt and Zipper still seemed on edge. They was standing in corner and talking quietly. Slit didn’t pay attention, to busy pickpocketing one of Morsov’s tools, and Slit had bad hearing on one of his ears anyway. Nux picked up something about that it had been a lot of activity last night, but he couldn't hear more and they didn’t seem to want Slit and him to know so he didn’t go closer.

“Okey, we should go back home.” Bolt said sternly when they came walking back.

“What? Why?” Slit whined annoyed, trying to stuff more of Morsov’s things in his pockets.

“We need to know what's going on, and that means regrouping back home. You should do as told - and put that back!” Zipper said angrily and looked at Slit with venom in his eyes until he grudgingly put Morsov’s stuff back.

“We are both War boys, you don’t have any right to boss me around”, Slit quietly hiss to himself. Unfotely Zipper heared that.

“You got a problem, _pup_?” he spat. He took a step closer to Slit, coming right up his face and flexing his muschelse. Slit was taller than him and came packed with his on swelling arms but not like Zipper. He was nowhere near his experience in fighting and Slits partner was, in comparison with the others War boy partner, a eleven year old pup that had a tendency to fall over his own limbs. They all knew that, Slit knew that. He still looked like he would try it anyway but to Nux relief he finally looked down and backed away.

“Thought so. We are going home, and you are going to stay in the apartment while we drive to the Citadel to find out what has happened.” Zipper hissed.

The other two left without further words, heading for the car.

Slit looked like he would explode, his knuckles was white because how hard he was tying his fists and he was shaking trying to restrain himself. His eyes was black clouds of anger, he looked like a wiper ready to strike.

Nux put his hand on his much bigger hand. But it didn’t have the effect Nux was hoping for. Slit angrily slap his hand away, not wanting comfort, and then he walked to the car without a word to him.

Nux knew why, it was because he was a pup, it was his fault. If he only would have been a War boy with boulding muscles, then Slit wouldn't have had to fold, then they could have accepted the challenge and maybe even won. Now Slit had to endure the humiliation because Nux was weak and soft. It was Nux fault that they were going to driv back to the apartment. Because he is too young to come with on missions and since they didn’t know what was going on they didn’t want to risk to take Nux with them. Which meant Slit had to stay behind, acting as a babysitter because Nux was his partner and Nux was too soft to go. Slit was angry because Nux was holding him back, and Nux knew that. His wished he was bigger, taller than anybody in the shop, then maybe Slit would not be disappointed in him, then he maybe wouldn't think he had such a rust partner.  
Nux tried to take a breath, it had started to become hard to breathe, his throat was closing up and he felt the familiar ice cold sinking feeling in his stomach. He needed to make it stop, it was his fault, really needed to make it stop, it hurt, he didn’t like how it felt, need to make it stop.  
  
“Idiot! What are you waiting for!?  
  
Slit growling voice was suddenly next to him and he grabbed Nux arm hard and dragged him out of the shop. The grip around his arm hurt but he welcomed the pain, it was nothing to the pain inside of hi, the pain around his arm made him snap out of the place he went to, it made him focus on the world. And a part of him thought that he deserved Slit hurting him for being such a rust partner.

The journey back to the apartment where tense, nobody said a word. When they were back Bolt had hardly time to stop the car befor Slit jumped out. He slammed the door shut and walked away without a glance at them.

“Hey, pup, don’t let that ashole do any shit to you, okey?" Bolt said, turning around to look seriously at Nux in the backseat.

Nux just nodded with his eyes glued to his feet.

“We will be back right away, just checking in on the Citadel and the back in no time, okey?

“Yeah, okay” Nux said and opened the door.

Nux walked slowly up the stairs after seeing Bolt and Zipper of. He didn’t like the feeling in his stomach. Everything was off and weird and it scared Nux. But Slit was angry at him so Nux just tried his best to not be in the way and to be as quiet as possible. Slit was laying on their maddres in the kitchen. Face turned to the wall, a clear sign he was not sleeping and wanted to be left alone. Nux spent the day cleaning the apartment and making food when that time came around. He set the table for four people but when it was time to go to bed two of the plates was still untouched. Bolt and Zipper hadn't come back.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an important chapter because it’s actually the original first chapter, this is the reason I began writing this story and the chapters up to this point have actually just been a intro because I wanted some more worldbuilding. Also it marks the start on a different tone for the story or what you can call it, a new section in Nux and Slit’s life. I give you a hint - they won't like it.


	5. What happened?

Some days had passed and Bolt and Zipper had still not showed up. By now both Slit and Nux was worried for them. They had heard nothing about what was going on. Slit had been by the shop a couple of times but no other War boys was in sight. He didn’t want to go back there he said, there were unusually many cops in circulation.  
  
They didn't have more than the car the others had taken so they couldn't drive to another shop to see if it was the same there. All the cars that had been in the shop had been taken too so they couldn't borrow them. Slit thought it was best to stay low, keep close to home and don’t attracted attention. Nux had looked at him like he was an alien when he suggested don’t attracted attention but Slit had just grumbled something about “being the one in charge now” “responsibility” and “take care of”.

They went to the store instead, food was running low and they was bored out of their mind to just sit cooped up in the apartment. Bolt and Zipper usually was in charge of the money but both Slit and Nux knew that they hid it in the empty coffee yar on the top shelf in the kitchen. It was not much money in it, Bolt and Zipper must have had most part on them plus the usual payday had passed but no imperators was around in the shop to give them their ration.

On there way out of the store Slit suddenly froze in front of the newsstand. He snacth a newspapper, and draged Nux away quickly under the loud protest off the newsstand owner.

Nux tried to ask Slit what was wrong but he just hushed him and dragged him back to the apartment while nervously looking over his back.

Slit laid the newspaper on the kitchen table and stood there staring at the front page. His whole body was trembling and his strange behavior was seriously freaking Nux out.

“Slit, come on, what does it say!? You know I can’t read!” Nux whinde.

He did recognise some letters, he could spell his own name and Slits and their mentors but that was about it. Nux had went to school sometimes, especially when they did some drives and stop by at the shop and had long talks about the importance of education. Education was good Nux thought, he agreed to learning stuff, and he like going to school, it was fun. But duty in front off pleasure, he was often too busy working in the shop to have time to go to school, and building and modding cars was a lot of fun too.  

Slit sat down slowly on one of the chairs, he suddenly looked so old and tired, and his eyes had a weird shine to them. Slit reached his arms out to Nux how just looked at him baffled. After a small hesitation Nux got closer and Slit pulled him in for a tight hug. Slit bumped his forehead against Nux, breathed a deep sigh and just stayed like that. It was nice, felt comforting and safe, Slits breath smelled bad.

“Slit, what's wrong?” Nux whispered after a while.

“The news, it… Its says The Immortan have been arrested” Slit finely said.

“What? Arrested? What do you meen?” Nux said and took his head away to look at Slit confused.

“It's a updated and recap from a couple of days ago, it's said something about somebody stealing the wives away and in the process giving the cops enough evidence to put The Important behind bars. They have closed the Citadel, seized all financial assets. It seems like they have been taking care of all the shops too. Doing a raid and arresting a lot of our brothers, no one will be able to bail them out now. Who know, maybe we are the only one that havent got arrested, to chrome for that I guess” Slit said with a dry laugh that sounded far off his usual cockiness.

Nux started to tremble, this couldn't be true? The paper have to had it wrong? It was a lie right? Just slander! They could not have arrested The Immortan? Could they? Slit seemed to believe it, it would explain the silence the last couple of days. Nux got hard to breath, he started to hyperventilate.  
He didn't know what to do, he didn't know where to go, his whole world had just crumbled apart in front of him.

***

They didn't go out of the apartment after that. What was the point?

Nux spent his days nervously going around in the apartment, moving stuff to a better place, moving them back to their original space again. He had taken a peek in Bolt and Zippers room. It still looked like they left it, a nice and cosy lived in mess. He closed it again, didn’t like the reminder that it looked so normal, like they would be home soon. But they wasn't. Nux spent his nights curled up in a ball in Slits arms, sometimes crying even if he didn’t want to. Slit didn’t cry, he was a real shine lancer. He was just quietly laying on the mattress all day, just got up to eat and then back to his quiet brooding. The quiet was starting to make Nux slightly crazy.

The only thing that had broken the silence was a loud banging on the door. Slit had immediately gotten up and pulled out his big knife. Both of them trought it was the police that had come to get them.

It turned out to be the landlord. She was angry, not that she was ever anything else when they were around, she hated War boys. She never wanted them there, she wanted them gone, not because they done anything, the tried to keep business out of their sleeping place, but because they were, well, War boys.

She had been to afraid to cause to much of a scene about it before though, as long as they paid the rent and kept quiet they were mostly left alone. But they hadn't paid the rent yet, that was what she was screaming about. Bolt usually took care of that, they had gotten some letter about it but Nux couldn't read it and Slit had just tossed it without looking and gone back to sleep.

After a loot of screaming and cursing Slit had slammed the door in the landlord's face. She had kept on screaming for a while more and then given up.

“Slit?”

“Yeah, what is it pup?” Slit rubbed his eyes tiredly, eyeing the mattress expectantly.

Nux pulled his pants, getting his attention.

“I’m hungry!” he said pouting.  
For a moment Slit had been back to his old self, when there was danger he was once again the fearless War boy. But now he was going back to the bed, back to the new Slit and Nux didn’t want that. He needed a distraction.

“Fine, let’s make something to eat.”

The fridge was however empty, they hadn't gotten much on there last shopping and they had’t been out of the apartment since then. All they found was a few slices of loaf of an old bread. They sat down at the table and began eating.

Nux deliberately dropped the slice of bread on the table. It made a very dry sound when it hit the wood and it actually bounced due to the fact that it was so hard that you probably would have been able to cause someone brain damage if you had thrown it in their head.

Nux looked at him with big, accusing eyes. Slit annoyingly blew air through the small holes in his cheek.

“What?” It's all we got!” Slit growl and tried to swallow his own bread. Nux groudenly whent back sucking at his slice.

Slit took a first proper look at Nux after the last days. He looked tired, dark bags under his eyes. Stupid mediocre pup kept up all night crying all the time. He looked thin to, Nux had never had much fat on his bones but now when Slit was looking he could see that here spars diet lately had taken a toll on him. Slit felt his cheeks burn in shame. Nux was his partner, he was supposed to look after him, now more than ever. And most importantly, Nux looked up too him, believed that he would make shore they were fine.

Slit clear his throat.  
  


“Ehy, pup?”  
  


“Stop calling me pup all the time!”

“You are a pup, but Nuts then. Hey, don’t we got like a lot of empty bottles that we can recycle and get money from?”

“What? You mean my collection for Aquacola bottelse? YOU ARE NOT TOUCHING THEM! THEY ARE MINE!” Nux scream and without a moment's hesitation, jumped Slit.   
To be so small and scrawny Nux really did know how to fight and he did got several good punches at Slit until Slit manage to knock Nux of his feat and put all of his weight on top of him. Nux still tried to keep fighting but it was in vain. Slit wasn't really looking forward to the day Nux would grow up, he would get problems then, better to be a complete shit now when he could get away with it.

“Aww, look at the little pup, to soft to do war” Slit taunted him.

“YOU ARE RUST SLIT! I WILL GUT YOU!”  
  


“Tsk, calm down, I know it’s your stupid Aquacola collection, I don’t want it for my own. But… Shit, it’s not like we have a choice?” Slit tiredly said, all fight disappearing out of him.

Nux noticed it and stopped fighting too. Slit rolled of him and stared up at the ceiling. It still had a scorch mark since he had practiced trying to do lances. Nux crawled up next to him and Slit put his arm around him.  
  


“I want to keep my Aquacola collection” Nux whispered.

“I know, but you want to eat too right?”  
  


“Yeah…”  
  


“Shits fucked up right now, but it’s goining to be better. The Immortan going to get out of the jail and he’s going to set everything right again, make the ones responsible for this pay. We just gotta hold out until then, right?”  
  


“Okej”  
  


“And if we prowe ourself, show that we are shine War boys, I’m sure The Immortan will reward us, he would probably give you triple the bottles you got right now!”

“Really!? You think he can do that!?” Nux shouted excitedly.

“Yeah, of course, he’s THE Immortan! And he makes the Aquacola so he would have no trouble doing that!”

Nux looked over at one of the bottelse. A tiny image of the The Immortans face was looking back at him. They knew it was The Immortan because they had seen him, they had been by the citadel one day and he was standing on the highest balcony, looking nearly as small as on the bottles. It had been so chrome, the feeling of doing the V8 salute in front of The Immortan, knowing he looked down on them, seeing them, Slit had lived on that for days. Even now, just thinking about it, he felt the tingling feeling in his chest with pride.  
  


“Okej, I’ll do I, for The Immortan!” Nux said determined.

“Okej, let’s collected them together and then go get some food. When we are out we should look for the others again, maybe they been keeping a low profile too and that’s why we haven’t found anyone yet.”

“Right!” Nux jumped up from the ground and then ran around the apartment like he was charged with a v8 engine, his temporary anger completely forgotten.  


***  
  
Nux owned a considerably large collection of Immortans bottles.   
It was of course not strange, he took every chance he got to lay his greasy fingers on them. All pups was collecting them, and to get them they usually had to fight for them. They even had a Aquacola-pit where the War boys betted for which War pup would win the week's collected amount of empty bottles.

All War boys drank Aquacola, a War boy would never let water pass his lips, only the gift of The Immortan - so they got a lot of them back at the shop. The imperators got them from the citadel and then handed it out to the others so they got here ration. Slit had had a big collection when he was a pup, he had won many fights. When he became a War boy he had deemed it childish and he had traded it away for better things.   
It did not stop him from beeing a bit jelus at Nux because he still got his. But he was also a bit proud because Nux collection was big, whith ment his pup was shine and could hold his own. Non of this feelings did he show outwards when they whent to the recyeling station.

 

Outsiders wanted the bottles too in a way, they used them for new bottles which Nux complained was a big wasted since they already was the most chromest bottles there were.  


“Look, think about it like The Immortan still holding his hand over us, his graciously give us money back for the bottles because we show that we are willing to sacrifice things that are dear to us. His generosity make us able to eat today, we should be grateful.” Slit said irritated when Nux nearly began crying because they started empty the third bag of bottles.

Nux hastily did the V8 sign towards the machines which made Slit smile. He swiftly reflected on the trought that Nux could made him smile even in a crappy situation as they were in right now. That soft trought made him irritably shove another bottle in the recycling machin like it had personally offended him. He couldn't help but smiling again when he watch it getting carried away to it’s painful doom.

“Let’s get some food!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not know if Slit is oc here or not? He dies before Joe does so we never see how he reacts to that. In particular, how he would react if he was alone with only his partner to see his reaction?


	6. Lose everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't mess with Helena

They managed to get a few things in the store but the money didn’t cover as much as they wanted. Slit made sure to buy some new bottles of Auguacola and they also got bread and some cheap canned food. After they had eaten more of it that they should  had they went down town and looked for their brothers. The Ace’s apartment was still dark and quiet. The next place a old lady said that the police had came and by and picked everyone up a couple of days ago. 

They were close to a third place when a police car came cruising down the streets. They quickly ducked behind a low concrete wall before they got spotted. Nux heart was racing while he was staring at some weed trying its best to grow through the asphalt. He was listening for anything  that told them the cops had seen them. They could hear that they had gotten out of the car but they seemed to move the other way, in the direction their brothers apartment was. They waited. Slit started to eat at the bread they had gotten and was looking really bored leaning against the wall waiting for the cops to leave.

After finally hearing them do that they checked the apartment but it was empty as expected. They didn’t linger for long in case the cops came back again and soon left to go home.    
  
They was just on their way going through the door to the apartment building when Nux saw something white with a familiar pattern laying thrown on the ground close by.    
  


“Hey, Slit, that looks like Bolt and Zipper’s blanket?”

“Yeah, It does. I mean, how likely is it that someone else have a blanket looking exactly like theirs?”

“But what is i doing out here? It’s supposed to be in their room right?”

“Duno” Slit said with a deep frown while Nux picked up the blanket. 

 

When they tried to open their door to the apartment, it did not work. Slit tried several times, pushing and pulling the door to see if it just simply got stuck in a wrong position. When it didn't work he resolved into calling the door bad names and banging at it in frustration. The noise broth the attention of their landlady.    
  


“What do you think you are doing?!”    
  


“Oh, Helena, we are trying to open this piece o shit door but it dosen’t work. You keep yelling about the rent but why should we pay when everything is rust?” Slit snarled at the very tiny and very angry lady coming down from her apartment. 

“There is nothing wrong with the door, I have changed the lock.” Helena said firmly and stared defiantly at Slit through her thick glasses.    
  


“What?! What are you talking about? You can’t just change the lock!” Slit growled at her.   
  


“Yes I CAN. You have not paid the rent so therefore you are no longer welcome here” she said with a triumphant look. 

“Bullshit! All of our things is inside, don’t you dare try to steal them old hag! Open the door!”   
  


“Your stuff is no longer left here, you did not pay so I had a firm out here and emptied it all out. It has all been taken to the dump by now”   
  


“WHAT! Are you kidding me?! You crazy old h..”

“Hey, if you don’t leave immediately I will call the police and tell them that you acted violently. Of course, what I have heard they book you guys without you actively have to do anything right now? That's good, cleaning up the streets, about time.”   
  


“Slit?” Nux quietly said when Slit was about to start up screaming again. Nux grabbed his hand and pulled gently when Slit looked about ready to hit the old lady. Slit looked down at him in a frenzy.

“WHAT!”   
  


“We should go before the cops come”   
  


Slit just stared at him blankly, Nux could see that he was about to do something stupid, he needed to stop him from doing that.    
  


“Slit, we are going” Nux said firmly and gave him a serious look that held no argument.    
  


Slit snorted and shock of Nux hand. Nux didn’t bulge.    
  


“Slit, we are going now” he said again with more force.   
  


“All right! Stop being so annoying!   
  
  
  
They quickly husel out of there. They were walking down fairmailar places, houses and trees and bus stops Nux got to know and now maybe would not see again. It felt weird. It felt weird that everything looked so familiar but at the same time so unfamiliar, like he was walking in a dream and and everything was slightly off but he could not tell what was wrong with it. He still had the blanket in his arms. It was all they had now, there was nothing left. They hadn't had much to begin with, there apartment mostly just a place to sleep and eat, but they had still lost everything.    
  
Not Slit of cous, Nux still got Slit. He was thankful he still got him, he would not know what he would do if he had been alone.    
Slit was walking next to him, or more angry marching down the street forcing Nux to half run after him. He looked furious, muttering under his breath and occasionally screaming out a part of it. Nux caught up to him when he got held up kicking a trash bin in unrecognizability. 

 

“Slit, what are we going to do?”   
  


“Why are you asking me? You're the driver...” Slit hissed out to distracted giving the trash bin a final kick.   
  


“What?” Nux asked and looked at him confused.    
  


“Ah, just…people always say you're going to be the driver just... nevermind” Slit grumbled and started to walk again.    
Nux ran after him.    
  
  


“Well if I’d been the driver I would had said we should going back to the shop, get some Thundersticks and then we are going back and show Helena that you do not mess with War boys!” he said confidently, and maybe a bit smudged about that Slit had called him driver. 

“What? Wasn’t you just whining for us to leave? And now you want to go back?” Slit asked confused and peered down at him. 

“Well… yeah, but you looked like you was about to hit her in the face or something. It would be so much more shine to use Thundersticks, right? We are War boys, after all, and we can’t let anybody take our things without repercussion!    
  


“Yeah... Yeah! That sounds like a really good ide! Slit stopped and grind his famously big smil, all murder in his eyes.   
  
A chill ran down Nux spine, but in a good way. 

  
*** 

 

They ducked under the police tape at the backside of the Shop to not make it too obvious. Slit put down their bag with bought food to smash a window.

If they were lucky, Slit had stage whispered, the cops had not found the spare room were he and Morsov had been standing in, making the last batch of Thunderstick because some idiot needed there ordinare place for a bike, a bike! Let the Rock riders have bikes! Slit had sneered. Nux himeling his eyes at him, knowing full well he only was trashing the bikers because he had been denied going with one of them. 

Slit got the point and helped Nux through the window instead. Nux still knocked everything over with a loud crash when he landed. Slit cringed and then  easily and gracefully followed through the window. 

  
“Which ones are we going to use? These ones?”   
  
“No! Don’t be rust! That's Morsovs pathetic attempt to Thundersticks. We are going to get blown up in pieces before we even get out of here.”   
  
Nux giggled at that while Slit took forward his own. They were beautiful, Nux had not seen this latest ones. Perfectly made and richly decorated, Slit was a true artiste.    
  


“They are shine, your are a chrome lancer Slit” Nux said and beamed up at him gleefully.

“humpf, don’t be such a dork” Slit said and showed his stupid face out of they way, he was not able to stop himself from grinning at the comment tough. 

Then they heard it, the sirens, close and closer still. 

“Shit! Run!” Slit screamed. 

 

They hurried back to the window they had gone through to get in, the rest of the exist had been barricaded. 

 

“Here, grab them!” Slit shouted and threw two of his Thundersticks after Nux. He nearly dropped them but manage to save himself from a mediocre death in the last minute. By the time Slit got through the window also the cops were swarming in in front of the shop. Slit dind’t hasitate, he graped a Thunderstick and troh it in a high arc, making it land in the middle of of all the cops. There was a big explosion, a lot of screams mingling with the sirens but Nux didn’t got time to watch it because Slit was dragging him away with one arm while he was lining up for next throw with his other. He made it land at the cars at the front, the one closest to them, and created a temporary wall of fire between that covered up with directed they ran. 

 

*** 

 

So things maybe wasn’t go there way right now and maybe they spent the last couple of day sleeping outside on the ground with only Bolt and Zippers old blanket as a cover. They did not had anymore food now, hadn't got anything after they had to run from the shop and lost the food they bought after recycling the bottles. They didn’t dare to steal anything, too much people around that could call the cops that were already sniffling at their heels as it was. Slit hated keeping a low profile, he wasn't made to keep a low profile, by Immortan, just look at his face! 

He hated being hungry too, he had a headache and had hard to concentrate on anything. Right now they were aimlessly walking through a park. Slit pretend that they had a goal thou, he didn't want to confess to Nux that he didn't know what they were going to do to get himself out of this mess. He was good at breaking things in wonderful explosion, not to fix them. This whole thing being the one in charge was a lot more trouble than he thought. 

 

There was a elderly lady sitting on a park bench. She was throwing bread crumbs to pigeons like a everyday klyce. Slit was watching her suspicious. He didn't like her, something was of with her, she seemed too innocent. Who spent their day on a park bench feeding pigeons? Perhaps she was a spy? Spying on Nux and him, reporting to some weird government that...  

Slit shook his head. Spy? That was just stupid, the hunger made him ridiculously paranoid. Wait... Nux, shit, where did the little fucker go?

Slit spun around in slight panic only to found the stupid pup in front of the elderly lady, trying to eat the breadcrumbs of the ground.

Slit growled, snatch Nux arm and dragged  him out of there as fast as possible.   
  


“Hey! What are you doing!?” Nux whined,trying to pull his arm away from Slits painfully grip.

“What I'm doing? What I'M!!?? Are you stupid? You were eating crumbs from the ground and you're asking ME what I'm doing? Slit shouted at him, a couple with a baby carriage was staring at them annoyed, Slit repressed the need to doing obscene gestures at them.

 

“Come on rust bucket” he just growl at Nux instead and dragged him onwards. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, there is a reason you don’t let kids decide what to do. Also, War boys are kamacrazy, even when they are pups, don’t be fooled. Also, recycling is good.


	7. A Mad man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max <3  
> :3

Things was calm and quiet tonight, Max liked it that way, he could pretend he was alone in the world, even if he never _truly_ was alone, especially not when it was calm and quiet and there was no _alive_ people around.

Max had not been in this town for long, and he wasn't planning on staying. He just needed some money so he could continue his journey to... onwards...

His gaze fell over perfectly trimmed gardens and houses who didn’t know what a dirty window was. He rented a house right now, hadn't been able to get a apartment. He worked at the local police station, someone had needed a quick break and Max had needed money. He wasn't to happy about being back in the force, to many memories, but still he had missed it. He mostly got desk duty, his shrink would have had like that, he wasn't suppose to be on active duty but he would go mad if he have to shuffle paper all day... _madder_ ... People here wasn't familiar with his story, even if they might suspect things wasn't all as it should be. _He_ wasn't all as he should be after his wife and kid… But they were decent people and they mostly left him alone.   


Max turned left and headed for the shady quarters, War boy zone.

The town had had some serious War boy problems, the Citadel only less than a half a hour drive from here. But things had changed after Joe got arrested. The shops had been closed, Joe's money frozen and a whole bunch of War boys behind bars. Things was more quieter than before but you could still run in a couple of them sometimes... always running in pack...  

Five girls had been rescued from his mansion that day, freed by a true warrior, Furiosa. Max had meet her, perhaps helped her some on the mad pursuit for freedom, but mostly he had just tagged along and watch her doing the superhero thing. He still called her sometimes even if he didn't say much, didn't really need to, and he mostly wanted to listen to her voice, telling him everything was fine.

  
***  
  


Max shift was about to end when he heard voices up ahead.  He had parked his car just a couple of hundred  meters away, taking a stroll around the place to check for problems. It was a known place for hobos to hang around. Max didn't mind the homeless but he could see fire between the trees and houses which was more of a concern. He slowly walked closer and then confused wrinkled his forehead, the voice he heard didn't match what he expected to find.

In a open area was two people. One was sitting on a spray painted park bench with a once white blanket with a strange pattern over his shoulders and the other was jumping around a barrel with fire like some kind of religious sacrifice dance from lands far away. When Max entered the scene he abruptly stopped, freezing at the spot. Max took him in. It was a kid, a thin scrany kid with black pants and no shirt. His head was shaved and his lips was scared – War boy. That was Max last thought before the war boy was running at full speed towards him.  


Max hand instinctively went  for the gun but before he had time to take it out of it's holster the kid stop in front of him like he had run into a invisible wall. Max was staring into a pair of sky blue, big eyes full of wonderment, excitement, and perhaps they were a bit out of focus. Max was staring at him with confusion, his forehead wrinkled in concern when the boy spoke, or, more like nearly screamed, standing way too close to Max for a normal conversation,  definitely too close for this kind of situation.  


“Hi! I'm Nux, who are you?!”  


Max didn't answer him, just staring which made the kid tilt his head a bit and stare back at him, mouth slightly agape and forehead wrinkled.  


“Nux, get over here”, said a suspicious and angry voice, the other person, still sitting on the park bench.   
Max took him in. The guy was definitely also a War boy, black cargo pants and no shirt. But this one was much older, and buff, and had a lot more scars. One got Max attention more than the others, the one on his face, the one that made him look like he smiled a gruesome smile even if his eyes told you he would like to snap your neck like a twig and set your house on fire while manically laughing. There were also staples...in his face... big ones…   
It was therefore surprising to see the younger kid put himselves in his lap with a happy giggle and the bigger boy warping his tree like arms and the blanket around his thin body protectively.

Max just silently watch them from afar. The older guy didn't drop his eyes from him a second.   


“Slit, why is he staring at us? Do you think he's cold and want to sit under the blanket too?” Max could hear the kid whisper not so quietly to the older one.  


“What are you two doing here?” Max finally made himself ask brusquely.  


“Slit says we stay here, can't go to apartment no more. Don't like it here, it's uncomfortable and cold and there's no food. There were no food in the apartment either but we did go buy some, and then we went all around the town, looking for people but everyone is gone and then we went here and then we meet you. What's your name? oh, and there were pigeons... I want a pet”, the kid ended his  never ending stream of words with that clear statement, looking at Max with determined blue eyes.  


Max had had problem making out what he was saying, a lot of words way too fast and maybe he had not the best language, and spoke kinda slurry. Max was still working on the deciphering when the kid named Nux reached down next to them and picked up a nearly empty bottle of what was hard to describe as anything else than booze, and took a big gulp, grimacing slightly. Max was just staring at him in utter disbelief.   
  
The War boy named Slit... perhaps named Slit? War boys had weird names... looked slightly panicky at the stupid act and yanked the bottle out of the kids hands, earning him a angry look and a shout.   


“Is that what I think it is?” Max asked anyway.  


“What do you think it is?” Nux asked him and looked perplexed.  


Max only grunts in answer.  


“Well, it's... well, I hope you know? Because I don't really know, it's alcohol I guess? I've seen the others drink it sometimes and they got really loud and laughing a lot... so it's a good thing? This one Slit got from a hobo, and it doesn’t taste good, but it kinda make you feel warm so that’s good? Because I’m kinda freezing my ass off right now. And everything get kinda funny, my movements is like way of, I like, you know? 'suppose to move like, tiny little bit and my hand goes BAM! Right over there!” Nux shouted out and threw his arms all over the place and nearly knocking the other War boy of the park bench.

“It's not suppose to, but it does anyway and it's ok because it's kinda funny and it feels like I’m, well, superfast! It's like you missing out every other milliseconds or so because you're so fast your eyes can't keep up and things moves very jerkily and... yeah?” He ended his tale nodding.  


“How old?” Max nods in Nux direction with a perplexed expression in his face.  


“He's 11” Slit answered with a growl, still eyeing Max suspicious.  


“ And you?”  


“16”  


“A bit too young to be out here all by yourself... drinking... this time at night?”  


“It's your fault!” Slit hissed at him.  


“hm?” Max looked at him with a bewildered face.  


“Yeah, you coops! It's you’re fault! You arrested Joe! You closed the shops! No shops, no money, no way to pay the bills. You're the one that made us lose the apartment and have to live on the streets! We used to own this! Now we are the everyday filth that slowly decays in the gutter! Slit suddenly screamed, nearly throwing Nux to the ground when he stood up in all his might.   
He was tall, and buff, and pissed off. Max hand went for the gun again, but he didn't pull it out of the holster, the movement alone was enough to make the War boys eyes zoom in on the gun like magnets to it's opposite pool.   
The War boy huffed angrily like a bull, but his attack stance soften and he let Nux take his arms and wrap them around himself again.   


Long minutes past when they were just staring at each other. Max spend the time thinking hard. These guys where War boys, he would probably find them in the police register at no time, he should look it up and then arrest them, the older one would probably have enough on him to go to juvenile. But right now they hadn’t done nothing more than the light a fire in an inappropriate place and drinking underage. And if Max was honest with himself, he didn't blame them for that. It was cold tonight, they didn’t have any shirts and they were just kids, Nux was most definitely a kid, probably only a war pup to go by War boy terms.   
  
What he should do was to call social services, if it was true that they didn't have a place to stay anymore, probably their mentors had been arrested, a lot of War boys had, then they couldn’t really be blamed for this and they needed a new place to stay at, or else the problems wouldn't go away. Problem was that the social services was closed by now, there office only oped regular working hours, he wouldn’t be able to get a hold on them until tomorrow.   
  


“Do you, ehm... got some place else to stay?”  


“Oh, Slit said that we could go back to the park and sleep in a leaf pile if the cops came and shoo us away from here. Ehm... are you shooing us away?” Nux asked carefully.  


“He means if we got a another place, a house, friends or family to stay with... And, no, we don't” Slit answered him venomously.  


Max nodded, as he expected. His colleges had done a pretty good job cleaning up and arresting War boys the last couple of weeks, these might be the only ones left.   
  
Max was eyeing them again. Slit tried to look tough , he could see that, broad back stretched and big muscles tense. The trembling eleven year old kid in his arms somewhat took the “big evil guy” aspect out of it. They was just a couple of scared kids that lived on the streets. Shit, why did he always have to start to care for other people with problems? He had more problems of his own to be able to handle.   


“Ehm... You can't have that fire... but it's cold tonight... so why don't you... um... follow me home and sleep there for the night?” Max finely said, hoping the boys would not scream at him for such a stupid idea.  


“Waaaht? Home with you?” Nux looked at him like he was crazy, which he was.  


“You're a cop, why would we follow you home?!” spat Slit, notably dragging Nux closer to his chest.  


“Um... well, I wouldn’t be a good cop if I left two kids alone here? “

“So we can come home to you?”  


“Yes”

“And your home is warm?”  


“Yeah”  


“Slit, I want to go with him, I don't wanna be here anymore, it's cold and no fun, and rust!”  


“Shit Nuts, you can't just go home to a random person you just meet, he could be dangerous” Slit answered unsure.   


“But you protect me? Right? It's not dangerous when you are with me?”  


“Yeah, but I mean.. fuck, he's a outsider, he could be a pedofile, I mean, why would a cop ask War boys to come home with him? That's just fishy. And I can't do much against a gun. Twitchy little fucker would blow my brain substance all over the wall.” Slit told Nux like Max wasn't there, hearing everything.  


“Whats a pe.. pedo... “

“No good people”  


“I have food” Max added quietly, more to himself then the others.

“SLIT! He has food! I think he seems 'okay, I want to go home to him!”  


Slit sign at Nux stubborn look.

”Yeah... yeah, fine, just for tonight then, then we have to go back looking for people”

  
“Yhey!” Nux shouted and in one shift motion ran over to where Max was standing. Max looked down at the wildly grinning boy, getting a clear view of the scars on his lips. Fuck, and he was only 11, this maybe wasn't a very good idea?   
But the kids eyes shone kristalblue at him, like the sky a clear day and Max found himself slightly lost staring into those eyes. He shook his head like a dog and then turned around to go to his car. Nux was jumping along next to him, his energy nearly making Max smile.

  
***

 

Max working day was over by now but he needed to swing by the station and switch cars, his college would need “his” car, and since he drove to work in his Interceptor he needed to pick that up.

He opened the backseat door on the police car and waved for Nux and Slit to jump in. They didn't. Nux suddenly screamed.  


“Liar! You trying to trick us! You trying to take us away and lock us up! You won't! You can't fool us! We are to chrome for you, we shine through your lies!”  


Nux was as changed, the cheerful happy face twisted in anger, his eyes shone darker blue and electrically like blue thunder. His fists were like white balls..., he was still just a 11 year old kid, but a 11 year old kid that know how to fight and wouldn’t back down at anything.

Max was just staring at him and didn’t understand anything.  


“mmfr?” he asked, which to a normal person really wouldn't mean anything but Slit understood.  


”Nux is naive, he thought you were actually going to help us”, he said staring intense at Max with a unreadable expression.  


”oh” Max just answered, realizing that offering the backseat of a police car maybe wasn't the best tactical move on his behalf.  


“Is it ok if you sit in the front seat?” he asked Nux.

“The front seat?”

“Yeah, to..mmm, prove that I'm not looking you up? As long as you don't touch anything.”

“Yeah, that's okey, Nux nodded to himself while Max opened the frontdoor.  


“Only one seat though so you're riding in the back no matter what,” he said to Slit. He would have let him ride in the back even if there were room in the front, he did not trust that guy.    


“What? No, no no! Slit sits in the front, with me! We can drive! You sit in the back,” Nux said, angry again.

“Nux, it's okey, hop in with him, and if he tries anything, whack him,” Slit grind sinister at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my favorite chapter. Hope you liked it

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr: http://loinski-love-war-boys.tumblr.com/


End file.
